Biomechanical, Histologic, and Molecular Evaluation of Tendon Healing in a New Murine Model of Rotator Cuff Repair. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • PURPOSE: To develop a clinically relevant, robust murine model of rotator cuff tendon repair to examine cellular and molecular mechanisms of healing. METHODS: Sixty C57BL/6 male mice underwent rotator cuff transection and repair using microsurgical techniques. A modified Kessler suturing technique was used prior to tendon detachment. Sutures were passed through 2 intersecting bone tunnels that were made at the tendon attachment site. Mice were sacrificed at 2 and 4 weeks with subsequent biomechanical, histologic, micro-CT, and gene expression evaluations. RESULTS: Failure forces in the 2- and 4-week groups were 36% and 75% of the intact tendon, respectively. Histologic evaluation revealed complete reattachment of the tendon with no observable gap. Healing occurred by formation of fibrovascular tissue at the tendon-bone interface, similar to larger animal models. Molecular analysis revealed gene expression consistent with gradual healing of the reattached tendon over a period of 4 weeks. Comparisons were made using 1-way analysis of variance. CONCLUSIONS: This model is distinguished by use of microsurgical suturing techniques, which provides a robust, reproducible, and economic animal model to study various aspects of rotator cuff pathology. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Improvement of clinical outcomes of rotator cuff pathology requires in-depth understanding of the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of healing. This study presents a robust murine model of supraspinatus repair to serve as a standard research tool for basic and translational investigations into signaling pathways, gene expression, and the effect of biologic augmentation approaches.

publication date

  • February 16, 2018

Research

keywords

  • Rotator Cuff
  • Rotator Cuff Injuries

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC6340398

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85041995637

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.arthro.2017.10.045

PubMed ID

  • 29459078

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 34

issue

  • 4